Sibling Rivalry

"Think fast, sis - what's the capital of Germany?"

"Berlin," Penny recited without looking up.

"Nuh-uh! It's Hamburg."

"That's ridiculous! It was Bonn before reunification, now it's Berlin. It's never been Hamburg!"

"Like I should believe you, sis, when you got a C on the last test?"

"Screw you, Neeli."

"Don't talk to me like that!" But Cornelia had gotten just what she'd wanted. It was just a matter of waiting until Mom and Dad returned. Mom had studied in Germany in college, after all.

They returned less than ten minutes later. As soon as they were in the door, Penny asked, "Mom, tell Neeli what the capital of Germany is."

"Berlin."

Cornelia didn't miss a beat. "She thought it was Hamburg," she chortled.

As usual, Penny took the bait. She slammed her book shut and said, "No, Mom, she -"

"Oh, STOP!" Mom growled. "You two will fight over anything, and Penny, you did miss some easy questions on that test, didn't you?"

Penny jumped up. "No, I was right, Mom! Cornelia said -"

"SHUT UP, you little bitch!" Mom grabbed Penny's arm and shoved her head into the wall, hard enough for Cornelia to hear the thud all the way across the room.

At the time, Cornelia had turned tail and run upstairs, lest Mom take it out on her too or, worse, Penny managed to get the truth out. Now, she thrilled to the memory of her triumph, Penny crumpled in a pathetic little lump on the floor, crying. She'd only caught a glimpse of that, but it was enough to play over and over in her head until she felt her second orgasm coming on.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! Yes!" She squeezed Eric's head so hard it hurt, but he didn't dare tell her that. "Faster!" she ordered, and he obeyed.

While Eric was serving his penance, Penny remained oblivious to just what she had inspired. Wishing she had some way of knowing if Joe had taken a look, she towelled off and retired to her room to dress. She had packed only casual clothes for the weekend, never imagining there'd be any cause to wear anything fancy. But she had (quite intentionally) left a yellow and green dress in the closet last year that she didn't care for. She still didn't care for it, but it was by far the most appropriate date outfit available, and it still fit over her favorite matching bra and panties.

A final look at herself in the mirror had her thinking the dress wasn't so bad after all - or did she just feel beautiful after the day of flirting with Joe? - and she was off upstairs to wait. On the way down the basement hallway, she overheard Cornelia's lusty screeches. Some prior commitment!, she thought. But naturally she was only too happy to have those two not joining them.

Dad and Jan saw her first. "So that's where that dress got to," Dad said.

"Looks great on you, hon," Jan said. "I had one a lot like that when I was your age." She was halfway through a glass of water, and set it down to admire Penny for a moment.

"Thank you," Penny said, passing over in silence that the dress' likely vintage was just what she didn't like much about it.

Joe, in any event, did like it. "Lovely, Penny!" he said as he got up from the kitchen table, where he'd been sitting with his back to her. "Hope I have something in my suitcase that'll fit with it."

"Oh, it's pretty casual here," Penny said. "I wouldn't worry about it."

She longed for some excuse to go back downstairs and get another gander at Joe in the shower. But it didn't feel quite right now that she was so rapidly developing feelings for him, so she was glad in a way that Jan had a bunch of questions at the ready about her job. She did regret not getting to warn Joe about what Eric and Cornelia were up to, but then she figured he'd have no way of failing to hear it.

She was right. By the time Joe got downstairs, Eric had managed to finish Cornelia off four times. He was struggling with the last one. "My tongue's getting sore!" he whined, heedless of Cornelia's intense-as-ever moans.

"Then do number five already!" she ground her hips harder into his face, ignoring his gagging and gasping for breath. "Who's your boss, boy?"

"You are!"

"Oh, that's the stuff! Say it again!"

"YOU ARE!"

"Nghhhhh! Yes! Keep it up!" Cornelia squeezed her eyes shut again and imagined that inevitable moment when she'd spill the beans about Joe and beautiful Carlotta. Penny would never know what hit her, and she'd never think she was welcome at the beach house again. She rocked the bed harder than ever and rubbed her pussy up and down Eric's face as he did his best - but largely failed - to lick it in any way he could. It didn't matter, as Cornelia came with a yelp she didn't think to muffle, so Joe easily heard it on his way to the shower.

Though he wasn't surprised at what his friends were up to, Joe did stop to ponder the moment. Once again, he wondered - why? If Cornelia was happy with her man, and it certainly sounded like she was, why pull such a nasty trick on Penny? But he was in too deep to back out now.

Joe decided his forest green polo shirt and linen pants were a decent match for Penny's dress. He was more than happy to be dressed and on his way back upstairs without having to even look at Eric or Cornelia right then. When he appeared back in the kitchen, Penny stood up and gave him yet another appreciative look.

"Are we all set to go?" she asked.

"Just let me run to the bathroom first," Jan said. "That water went right through me!"

"As usual, huh?" Larry said.

"You're the one who had it waiting for me on the table, dear!" Jan reminded him as she shuffled up the stairs.

"No, I'm not," Larry said, eyeing the empty glass on the table. "It was waiting for us when we got back. Penny, did you put it there? That was thoughtful of you, if you've noticed how she likes staying hydrated."

Penny shook her head no, but her father was already on his way to the living room to collect his car keys and didn't see her. Penny decided she might as well let him think she had done it anyway - it was a nice gesture, after all.

"I've been trying to get your father to drink more water, too, you know," Jan said a few minutes later as she came down the stairs. "All sorts of health benefits, and so what if you need the bathroom more often? He'll be waiting for me to go anyway."

"I agree completely," said Penny, hoping it wasn't too much information for Joe. "Eight glasses a day!"

Joe showed no interest one way or another, and the ride into town was agreeable for all. They were seated at a table with a view of the waterfront, and ordered their drinks. Penny had just enough time to peruse the menu before Jan spoke up. "I don't know what's got into me, but I'm afraid I need to go to the ladies' again. Penny?"

"Sure." Penny got up, ignored her father's inevitable joke about women always going to the bathroom in groups, and was delighted when Joe did not respond in kind. As soon as she and Jan were out of the men's hearing, she asked, "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"No," Jan said. "Thanks for thinking of that, but I'm afraid I really do need to go again already. I hope I'm not coming down with something."

"I hope so too," Penny said. "I had some kidney troubles myself when I was a teenager. You can imagine how much fun it is being that age and asking to go to the bathroom in every class." She shuddered at the memory.

"Let's hope I just drank that last glass of water too fast," Jan said. "Still, it was kind of your father to set it out there for me."

Penny saw no need to tell Jan he hadn't done so.

When they returned to their table, Larry was regaling Joe with tales of concerts he'd been to back in the eighties. Penny was just as glad to have missed that, and relieved that the talk hadn't been of her as a little girl. To her pleasant surprise, it remained that way throughout the meal. The herb-encrusted snapper was great, and seeing Dad happy again with Jan was even better. Joe's occasional adoring look at her was best of all.

When they were finished, there was still time to kill before the movie. "Want dessert?" Dad asked them all.

"I shouldn't," Penny said reflexively, though the key lime pie she'd spotted on other people's tables looked wonderful.

"Sure you should, if you want it," Joe said. "I don't know about you, but I've been thinking about their key lime pie from the moment we came in."

"Me too!" Penny laughed and forgot herself long enough to lay her head on his shoulder as if they were alone. "Sorry!" she said an instant later, and sat back up straight.

"So that's one for each of you," Larry said. "Jan, how about you?"

"I'm fine with whatever you want to split," Jan said without looking at the menu. "But I'm afraid I need the bathroom again."

"No wonder," Larry said. "How many times did they have to refill your water glass?" He tapped on it now, as it was once again empty.

Jan let out a good natured laugh as she started to stand up. The laugh morphed into a cross between a sigh and a yawn, and she sank sprawling to the floor.

"Oh my God!" Penny, Joe and Larry all jumped up to help her to her feet, while the rest of the diners turned to see what had happened. It promptly became clear that they couldn't help Jan to her feet; she was passed out.

A woman from a few tables over rushed up to them. "I'm a doctor," she explained, stooping to lift Jan's head and feel for breathing.

Jan groaned and opened her eyes slightly, but wasn't able to say anything.

The next several minutes passed in a blur, with the doctor giving first aid orders that Penny and Joe obeyed while Larry sat at the table with his head in his hands. Someone had called an ambulance, and Jan managed to get up and walk to the waiting stretcher in the lobby. Dessert was, of course, forgotten. The restaurant manager tried to talk Larry out of paying for the meal, but he insisted.

"Want us to come to the hospital, Dad?" Penny asked once they'd made their escape outside.

"No use in us all waiting there," Larry said. "You two go on ahead to your movie." He hugged Penny. "Thanks for the offer, though."

As soon as they were alone, Joe asked, "Would you rather just go home?"

"Dad's right, that wouldn't do any good," Penny said. Then she took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. "Besides, I've really been looking forward to this!"

"Me too," Joe said. "I like your dad and Jan, but...me too."

The time seemed perfect for a first kiss. But Penny let just a little too much time go by as they made their way to the theatre. There would, of course, be time enough for all that after the movie.

Joe further impressed Penny by sharing her low opinion of the melted butter for the popcorn. "I'll get two if you want butter on yours, but I don't want that slop anywhere near mine."

"No, I agree completely!" Penny couldn't help but feel a girlish tickle of joy at the prospect of their hands touching in the popcorn box.

She wasn't a fan of romantic comedies, but this one was an unusual one where the alpha couple ultimately didn't fall in love. When the credits rolled, Joe said, "That was refreshing, wasn't it?"

"God, yeah!" Penny said. "All through that I was thinking, they don't belong together at all, you know?"

"I sure do." Joe stood up and brushed the popcorn crumbs off himself, and held out his hand for Penny to take again. She more than gladly did. "Now, do you think we belong together at all?" He looked like he was joking, but didn't sound like it."

"Well, I'm not a big believer in knowing instantaneously if it's true love..."

"Me neither," Joe said. "But it sure feels right, doesn't it?"

Outside it was dark and the spring air was chilly, but the view of the waterfront was beautiful. Penny guided him over to a spot along the railing overlooking the water where no one else was too close by. "It sure does," she said, putting an arm around him. "Who'd have thought Cornelia would ever bring us together, huh?"

Joe didn't answer, though he did put his arm around her and rub her side affectionately.

Penny looked at him in surprise. "Sorry, should I not have brought her up?"

"No, my apologies to you," Joe said. "Penny, there's something I should tell you before we go any further."

"Oh my God, Joe!" Penny shut her eyes and then looked up at him in disbelief. "Would you believe I forgot about Jan? We should go home and see if there's any news!"

"Wow, me too!" Joe said. "Yeah, let's head home. It's kind of chilly to be out here anyway, isn't it?"

Hand in hand, they retraced their steps from the afternoon, back to the house. With both of them lost in their thoughts about Jan, there was no need for conversation. That at least gave Joe an opening to come clean again. "Listen, like I was saying, there's something I should tell you, Penny. And yes, it does involve your sister."

To his surprise, Penny greeted his comment with a saucy grin. "I know about the crack in the bathroom wall, Joe."

"You do?!"

"Corri doesn't know I know," but I do. Squeezing his hand tightly, she added, "Did you like what you saw?"

"I didn't see anything!"

"Sweet of you to say that, Joe, but it's okay if you did, you know."

"Thanks, but I really didn't," Joe said. "Eric told me all about it while you were in the shower, but I refused. And I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but..."

"Eric saw the show I put on for you!" Penny turned and buried her head in Joe's shoulder. "Oh my!"

"The show you put on?"

Penny bit her lip. Being open with Joe had worked amazingly well so far, and she opted to stick to that. "I masturbated. And yes, I was thinking of you."

"Oh, Penny!" Joe couldn't help laughing. He stopped and drew her into a tight embrace, not even looking to see if they were blocking the sidewalk for anyone else. "That's beautiful! I'm sorry I didn't get to see it! And I'm even more sorry Eric did!"

Penny was not going to miss another chance at their first kiss. It was long and gentle, and the chilly evening fell away from their embrace. Joe was almost able to forget that he still hadn't told her what he really meant to - and in that wonderful moment, he didn't care.

But something else did occur to them when their lips finally parted. "Wait a minute," he said. "When I was in the shower, did you..." His lips curled into a bemused grin that made it clear he didn't mind if the answer was yes.

For all that, Penny still struggled with the answer. "I'm sorry, Joe."

"Do I look like I want you to be sorry?"

She answered only with a long, tight hug.

Fortunately, the rest of the walk home wasn't long. Penny's heart was feeling ready to burst when they arrived, even as concern for Jan once again bubbled up when they opened the door to find her father looking gravely up at her from the couch.

"Joe, may I please have a word with Penny?" he asked.

"Yes, of course," Joe said. "I'll be in your room?" he said to Penny.

She nodded and turned her attention to her father. "How's Jan? Did they find what's wrong?"

"They found out all right. She had an overdose of diuretics."

"Diuretics? She didn't say anything to me about being on them."

"She isn't, Penny."

"Oh my God!" Penny remembered the glass of water on the kitchen table.

"Did you think this was a harmless prank, Penelope?" her father growled.

"What?! Dad, I didn't -"

"You're the one who set that glass of water on the table for her, aren't you?"

"No!"

"I asked you before and you didn't say no."

"I shook my head no. You just weren't looking. Besides, why would I do a thing like that?"

"Penny, I know losing your mother was hard on you and Cornelia, but it's not your decision when I'm ready to move on with my life. It's mine."

"I agree!"

"Then why have the two of you been so nasty with her all weekend? And now this?"

"It's not the two of us, Dad! It's her! Not me! Her!"

"Oh, spare me!" Larry said. "I've been listening to that all your lives. If you'd ever just learn to ignore your sister..."

"Like you're going to ignore what she did to Jan?"

"I didn't ask you to accuse your sister!"

"I didn't ask you to accuse me!" Penny was near tears. "I like Jan! And you know it, or you should! Did you even ask Cornelia if she did it?"

"You're the one who had the kidney problem, you'd have the meds for it."

"That was years ago! And I didn't save any of the meds, you know you're not supposed to do that!"

"Yeah, well, Cornelia says she didn't do it."

"And you believe her?"

"All I know is when you were girls, you always blamed everything on her, Penny."

"It was always true! And you were always a sucker!" Penny felt the tears of rage streaming down her cheeks, but she didn't care.

"All right, enough!" Larry grabbed his car keys up from the kitchen table. "I can't prove it, but I know it was one of you and I know why. I'm going to the hospital to be with Jan, and I'll be expecting a lavish apology for her when we get home tomorrow!"

"Don't count on it!" Penny turned and stormed down the stairs.

Her bedroom door was shut, but she had no doubt Joe had heard everything. When she opened the door, he was standing by her bed with a sympathetic look on his face. "I'm so sorry, Penny," he said as she collapsed in his arms.

"You heard everything, I suppose?" she sobbed.

"Not everything, but enough," Joe said. "And yeah, I know it must've been Corri."

"It was," Penny said. "I don't know where she got whatever she put in that water, but it was her. She told me she wanted to get rid of Jan and she expected me to help. I just wish I could prove it."

"No offense, but even if you could, is there any way your dad would buy it?"

Penny laughed through her tears. "You're right. He'd probably have to hear her say she did it, and that's not going to happen." She tightened her arms around him. "Thanks for being there. Now you see why I just came here for one last time with Dad."

"I'm really glad you did, Penny," Joe said. Gently he pulled her down onto the bed and they sat side by side on the edge. "No matter what kind of sick April Fool's joke your sister wanted to play, I'm glad we met." That, he decided, would have to do for a confession for the moment.

"Wow, I hadn't even thought of that!" Penny said. "I wonder if that was Neeli's plan? She thought it would just make Jan pee a lot? Geez."

Joe rubbed her back to comfort her, and they were silent for a few minutes. At some point, Penny knew, she would have to invite him into her bed or he'd have to go upstairs to sleep on the couch.

She would not let Cornelia ruin this on top of everything else. Reminding herself the worst he could say was no, she whispered in his ear, "Will you make love to me?"

"God, I'm so glad you asked!" Joe hugged her as tightly as he could, and then stood up and drew her to her feet. "I guess this means you liked what you saw this afternoon?"

Penny laughed. "Loved it! And again, I'm sorry!"

"I told you it was all right." Joe watched as Penny lit a candle on the table by the window and turned off the light.

When the light was off, she stepped up to Joe and turned her back, holding her hair out of the way. "Help me off with my dress?"

"Yes, please!"

It seemed only fair that she let him undress her completely before she even started on his clothes. This he did, but not without teasing around the edges of her bra and rubbing her back without unfastening it just yet. Penny was in no hurry as it had been nearly a year since anyone had touched her, and easing her way back into intimacy was most welcome.

On the other hand, she was hungry for another, closer look at Joe's body. Especially now that she'd be free to touch it. But not as hungry as she was for the delicious vulnerability of being nude while he was still fully clothed.

After several minutes of passionate caresses and gentle kisses, he got the message and unfastened her bra. Penny slipped it off her shoulders and flung it across the room with considerable relish. They both laughed a bit at that moment, and Penny didn't mind at all that he was looking at her breasts as he did. She did, though, hope he wouldn't be only looking for long.